Jail for 'vulnerable' Cork man who sexually abused his nieces

A seven-year jail term was imposed on “a vulnerable man with cognitive difficulties” who sexually abused his two nieces – repeatedly assaulting one of them sexually for three to four years from when she was aged eight.

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford imposed a sentence of eight years with the last year suspended at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork today. 

Reporting restrictions prevent identification of the accused. 

The judge said it was vital that when the accused is released from prison after the sentence and comes under the direction of the probation service for a further three years that he would receive psychotherapy. In the past – even recently – he has self-harmed and attempted suicide.

The judge complimented the two sisters, who were also described as vulnerable individuals, for the manner in which they had approached the case and expressed themselves in their victim impact statements. Ms Justice Lankford said the sisters were a credit to their parents.

Detective Garda Tom Delaney testified at an earlier hearing that the older injured party was at school in September 2022 when a pop song was played as part of one of the classes. The song reminded the teenager of years of sexual abuse that she suffered at the hands of her uncle in the family home. 

She became very upset, and as she was being comforted by a teacher she revealed for the first time that the abuse had occurred.

The school alerted the child’s mother and ultimately the defendant was approached about the allegations and he admitted the sexual abuse and was subsequently removed from the family home.

On investigation with specialist interviewers, it was established that the abuse occurred from when she was aged from eight to 11 or 12. And it later emerged that her sister was also abused and there was one charge related to her when she was aged four.

The accused was aged from 21 to 26 when the abuse was carried out and he pleaded guilty to 10 charges in relation to one niece and one count in relation to the second girl, who was only four at the time.

ACCEPTED FULL FACTS

Prosecution senior counsel Jane Hyland said that while all eleven counts were of sexual assault, and none of rape, the defence had accepted that the full facts of the case would be outlined and this included the description of rape of both children, albeit without any rape charge or admission.

One young woman described at a hearing two months ago how her life has been reduced to sadness, fear and pain because of the sexual abuse that her uncle carried out on her from when she was aged eight.

Her younger sister who was also abused says she cannot cope with “quietness” at home as it reminds her of the abuse and she has to pace the floor and turn on music to avoid the silence.

The victim of the ten counts testified: “I am living in fear all the time. I am scared to be around people. Sometimes when I get flashbacks, I feel I am always looking over my shoulder, I burst into tears and I am so afraid to go anywhere. Fear and memories of the abuse is holding me back from living my life.” 

Her sister said: “I was afraid of him all the time after that. I was having flashbacks and my mind and my heart hurts because of what happened to me.” 

Senior counsel Tom Creed said the accused was full of remorse and had written a letter of apology to his two nieces. 

Mr Creed said the defendant, who is now aged 34, was admitted to a psychiatric hospital when the complaint was first made.

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